5 Keys To Customer Success | PULSE 2015

I had the pleasure of attending Gainsight‘s PULSE 2015 conference this past May. I was relatively new to Function Point’s success team and was trying to deepen my understanding of what it means to cultivate and sustain customer success in the context of our agency project management software.

Here are 5 of my main take-aways from PULSE 2015:

1.  Align Your Company

Everyone at your company needs to be involved for your clients to be truly successful. At Function Point, this starts with our new business team who makes sure we’re acquiring the right kind of client. Our onboarding team trains our clients on how to best utilize the product, and, of course, our product team has both hands in and are listening to what our client wants to see.

Everyone at function point cares if our clients are using and raving about the product. And, if they can have a little fun along the way, that never hurt anyone!

2.  Advocacy

The more successful a customer is, and the closer your relationship with them is, the more likely they are to be an advocate for your product. A client initially comes to you wanting change and hoping to be successful, so it is up to your company and CSMs to work with them to make sure that happens. Make it happen and you will have some of the best sales you have ever had.

3.  Map Your Client’s Journey

Be specific about what your client needs to do in order to be successful. It’s also important to be clear about (both within your company and to clients) who they should turn to for help at each stage of their journey with your company. Make sure to delineate these stages at the beginning of the journey so that you and your client are clear about what steps need to be taken to be successful.

4.  One-To-Many Programs

Let’s be honest. I wish there were enough hours during the day to speak with every single one of our clients individually, but unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Creating one-to-many programs allows you to reach out and communicate to a larger number of your clients on a regular basis. For example, we conduct bi-weekly webinars that target the most commonly asked about topics of our agency project management software. This allows us to help clients who may have similar pain points all at once.

5.  Your Customers’ Health

Have a way to measure how your client is doing. Are they using your product? Paying their bills? Sending in hundreds of questions to your support team every week? These are all potential warning signs that your client needs a little attention. Speak with them, find out what’s going on, and figure out a way to help them get more engaged and comfortable with your product. By keeping an eye on your customer’s health, you can address any issues before they become a code red.

Function Point is a SaaS business, providing agency project management software that combines project management, time tracking, CRM, financial, and business reporting tools. To learn more about how Function Point can make your creative agency more efficient and profitable, be sure to book a free demo with one of our experts and we’d be happy to show you around the system!